Which Voice?

     I think it was all those urgent emails that did me in.
     "Last day for free shipping!"  "Only 4 more hours for 40% off!" "One more chance--order by 3 p.m. for 2 day shipping!"  "This is it!  Last day!"
     Yep, I really think the emails were the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.  Unlike the wise men traveling all those long miles on those camels just to see and worship the King, I fell off the camel's back and into the frenzy of hurry and worry.  Suddenly, for a good part of the day, I felt panicked--we'll never get it all done by Christmas!  What was I thinking?  What about my nieces and nephews? I haven't mailed so and so's yet!  O my stars, what about those friends!  What about... okay, I'm stopping right now because I can feel the tension starting to rise.
      I had gone from enjoying the Gift of Christ to worrying about the giving of Christmas.  Not that the giving isn't wonderful.  It is.  But not if we throw away our joy and peace and love in the process. As Richard Evans writes in one our favorite Christmas children's books, "In your hurry to keep Christmas, you have forgotten Christmas."  Forgive me Father.  
     Instead of what have I crossed off my list, I need to be asking, what can I do to encourage someone?  Instead of how much have I done, it needs to be how much can I love?  Instead of where can I buy those gifts, I need to ask where can I share the Light of Christ in a dark world?
      And you know, the reason I fell off the camel?  Because I was listening to the wrong voices.  I read this morning in Matthew 2 about the wise men who had come to Jerusalem looking for the King.  Another king summons them, Herod, and tells them to "go search diligently for the child, and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him." (Mt.2:8)  Of course, Herod lied.  Jealous, spiteful, violent, he only wanted to find and kill that rival infant King.  But the wise men don't know that at the time.
     But here's what verse 9 says, "After listening to the king, they went on their way.  And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was."
     They listened to the king... but they followed the star.
     And that star led them straight to the Baby-Savior.  The following verses in Matthew tell of their great joy, their glorious worship, and their gifts for this King.  And then they listen not to the lying voice of Herod but to the voice of God warning them in a dream, and they "departed to their own country by another way." (v.12)
     It's so easy to listen to the wrong voices, isn't it?  The voices that say, "Hurry!  Worry!  Rush!  Not enough!  Get busy!"  But the voice of God says, "Come to Me all, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Mt.11:28)  Refuse to heed the voices of darkness that tell you to despair, to fear, to strive, to lose hope.  Instead, listen to His voice: "Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness." (Ps.112:4) and "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." (John 1:5)
     The voice that proclaims "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
     Today, when those voices start to tempt you to rush or worry or doubt or even despair, refuse to listen.  And instead choose to listen to the voice of the One who made you, who loves you, and who died to save you.  He is your Light in the darkness.
     Like the wise men, might we listen not to the voices of the world but to our Almighty King... and follow the star.  To God be the glory.